Jerome McBain

Robert Douglass

AUBURN, (N.Y.) Aug. 23. Tragical event. - We have the disagreeable task to record a most cruel murder of an infant of nine months old, in the town of Reading, Steuben county: Our informant who saw the child, relates to us the following circumstances: - A young man, son of a Mr. Isaac Baldwin, of Litchfield, (Con.) being deranged in his mind in consequence of disappointed love was sent to Mr. Elisha Ward, of Reading, (a friend of his father) in hopes that a change of situation would conduce to resore him to his senses. Unfortunately it had not the desired effect. He lately insisted upon going home to his friends, and made several attempts to escape, but on Mr. Ward's stopping him, and not suffering him to go, he got into a passion, and threatened revenge if not permitted - On Wednesday last, he accomplished his threat; he took Mr. Ward's child from the arms of a young woman, went out of the house took up an axe, and laying the child's head on a stump, which was before the door, deliberately cut it off! - What a dreadful agonizing specticale it must have been for the parents to see their beloved infant weltering in its blood; with its head severed from its body! Their feeling will be more conceived than described. This unfortunate young man appeared greatly affected, after he had committed the fatal deed. He confessed the murder, as we are informed, and said he did it with an intention, whilst the family was in confusion, to make his escape to Connecticut. Coroner's inquest Wilful Murder. Windham Herald; September 7, 1809. DOMESTIC. Distressing Accident. - On Tuesday, the 8th inst. Mr. John Cornwell Smith, who resides in Troupsburgh, Steuben County, accidentally shot his wife. The particulars were related to us by Mr. Smith himself. On Monday morning the 7th, he discovered some deer in the meadow adjoining his house, and on Tuesday morning he arose very early with a view of endeavouring to kill them, but it being dark he went to bed again; some time after he got up a second time, and from his door saw a deer feeding, he immediately took down his rifle, but it was rather dark to shoot with certainty, he waited a few minutes. In the mean time he prepared his piece by fresh priming; and at the instant he was rising to go to the door to shoot the deer, his rifle accidentally slipped from is hands, and in endeavoring to recover it in his right hand struck the cock, when it went off, and the whole contents passed through the left shoulder and head of his wife, who lay sleeping in the bed with her child of about eleven months old in her arms, which was preserved from the fate of her mother. The feelings of the bereaved husband at this time can be better conceived than described. He seized his infant in a state of distraction, and carrying it ran to his father's about a mile distant, (being the nearest neighbor) and related the dreadful catastrophe. The neighbours immediately collected at the fatal spot, and found Mrs. Smith lifeless in bed. She was buried on the Thursday following. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were young people, they had not been married two years, and it is said they have always lived together in the most happy and agreeable manner. He appears to feel sensibly and deeply the full force of this afflicting dispensation. We hope this melancholy accident may have a tendency to make people more careful in handling fire arms - Nat. Adv. The Pittsfield Sun; September 6, 1820.	MURDER. Our readers will doubtless recollect an affecting article which went the rounds of the newspapers, respecting an accident, which was said to have occured in Steuben county, of John Cornwell Smith, formerly of this town, in shooting his wife; and no man of feeling can have forgotten the impessions which such a melancholy event was calculated to make on his mind. Reports have arrived in town, from good authority, that the body of Mrs. Smith, has been taken up, and it has been discovered that she had taken arsenic previous to having been shot. In the mean time Smith had disappeared and has since been heard of in Ohio. He is pursued and strong hopes are entertained of his being yet brought to justice. He is one day before his pursuers. - W. Courier. The Freeman's Journal; Nov. 13, 1820. Murder. - A few weeks since, Josiah Winfield, of Paulding, Steuben County, N.Y. called on Dr. Husten, for two portions of arsenic, to destroy rats, as he said. The Doctor suspected he intended to make an improper use of the poison, gave two emetics, and followed him to his, house, & observed him (through the window) feeding his infant child with one part of it, and urging his wife to take the other. - The Doctor being satisfied of the wicked designs of Winfield, rushed in and charged him with the intention of murder. His wife and child had been sick for some time past, and it seems this monster in human shape intended to destroy their lives and rid himself of the trouble of attending upon them. The child soon died, the emetic being too powerful for its debilitated frame. The fellow is safely lodged in jail at Bath. - N. H. Reg. Norwich Courier; February 4, 1824. Indian Murder. Genesee Register, Sept. 28. We understand that five Indians belonging to Squaka Hill, about six miles from this place, were committed to jail in Bath, Steuben county, on Thursday last, charged with the murder of Mr. Joshua Stevens, of Canesteo. We have not yet learned all the particulars of this tragical affair, though it appears that the Indians had gone to Canesteo for a fall hunt; two of them having procured a quanity of whiskey, had separated fromt he others, when Mr. Stevens, who was looking for his cattle, happened to be passing near the intoxicated Indians, was fired upon by one of them, named Old Sundown; the ball passed through his hand which was at the time on or near his hip, and through the abdomen. Next morning the body of Mr. S. was found on the spot where he was fired upon by the Indians from which it appears that he died instantly. The few Indians who remain in this quarter, are in general civil, and peaceably disposed, especially towards white people - indeed this is the only act of lawless outrage committed by them on any white person, which we have heard of in many years. Georgetown Gazette, October 18, 1825.	A Mr. Birst beat out the brains of a Mr. Wagon, at Painted Post N.Y. both had been drinking freely. New-Hampshire Patriot; Jan. 16, 1826. Mr. Bird, of Painted Post, Steuben County, killed a Mr. Wagon, by literally beating his brains out, on the 31st ult. The deceased kept a tavern, and had been drinking freely. Weekly Messenger (Boston, MA) January 19, 1826, page 1. MURDER. - One of the most shocking murders on record was perpetrated on Monday, the 4th inst. in Dansville, Steuben county, by a fellow named Mallard, on the body of an old man named South. The circumstances, as near as we can learn, are as follows: - Mallard went to the barn of a Mr. Markham, where South was a work, dressing flax. He professed to be very much fatigued, and requested Smith to furnish a team, either to take him to his family in Howard, or bring his family to him. Smith said he had not team - that Mr. Markham had one, but was gone with it. Mallard was not satisfied, and insisted upon being obeyed. After some altercation, Mallard commenced beating deceased with a stick, to escape which, he ran towards the house, where Mallard overtook and knocked him down with a club, senseless. He then seized an axe, and deliberately chopped the old man's head off, cutting through the chin, so as to leave part of the jaw bone attached to the body. He then tore open his vest and shirt, and split him entirely open from his breast down; in which situation he left him, and started in pursuit of Mrs. Markam, who had crawled through a windo wand fled. She escaped, however, and rallied some neighbours, who pursued and caught the murderer. He is now lodged in our jail. - Bath (Steuben co) Advocate. Ithaca Journal and General Advertiser, January 20, 1830.  A coroner's inquest was held at Painted Post on Tuesday last over the body of William Comstock: verdict of the jury - "death by poison." The circumstances of the case are, as near as we can learn, these: Comstock was an intemperate man. The wife as appears from her own confession, received some time las summer from a neighbour, a quantity of arsenick for the purpose of killing rats, and which she did not know to be poison. She farther states, that at different times she had mixed portions of it with her husbands' liquor; and that the effect had been in each case to make him sick and wean him for a season from his intemperate habits - that in the last case, she had given him a much larger quantity, in hope of effecting a permanent cure; and that she pleads nothing but ignorance of the poisonous qualities of arsenick in extenuation. She is now in jail in this village, together with a pedlar by the name of Allen, who was arrested as an accessary, by aiding and assisting the woman to escape. - Farmers (Bath) Advocate. Ithaca Journal (Ithaca, NY) March 10, 1830, pg. 2.
At a court in Steuben county, last week, Eliza Comstock was convicted of the murder of her husband, William Comstock, by administering to him arsenic. She was sentenced to be hung on the 23d July. At the same court, Ashly Millard was tried for the murder of Dan Smith, and a verdict was given of manslaughter. He was sentenced to the state prison for life. The New York Morning Herald, June 17, 1830. At the C.P. Court, held in this village last week, John Allen, whose escape, and subsequent recover we mentioned, was found guilty of being accessary (after the fact) with Mrs. Comstock, in the murder of her husband, and sentenced to the Auburn prison for 5 years. - Bath, Steuben Co. Advocate. New-York Spectator, July 9, 1830.  On the 16th inst. In the town of Jersey, Steuben co., N.Y. Moses Kimbal was the unhappy occasion of the death of a daughter, aged 3 or 4 years. She approached, unperceived, too near where he was at work with an axe, when the fatal blow was struck on her throat, which instantly deprived him of one of his own offspring. Boston Courier (Boston, MA) July 29, 1830; pg. 4. John Graham has been convicted of manslaughter Steuben Co N.Y. having in a fight, at a "husking bee," struck Levi Odell under the jaw, and broke his neck. The Newport Mercury (Newport, RI) November 20, 1830; page 3. MELANCHOLY OCCURENCE. An incident of the most melancholy nature occurred in the town of Burns on Monday the 2d inst. at a husking party, in the evening. After the husking was over, the party assembled in the road, near John Jones' tavern, and for amusement a number of songs wer sung. While singing, or immediately after, Levi Odell, one of the company, and who, as we are informed, was intoxicated, proposed going to prayer, and accordingly knelt down and commenced a mock prayer. Mr. Lamphaer, who was present, admonished him, telling him that such conduct was highly censurable, and requested him to get up from his knees. Odell immediately rose and commenced an assault upon Mr. L. who retreated and endeavoured to keep out of his way; but he was determined not to be foiled, and became quarrelsome and abusive. John Graham, brother-in-law to Mr. L. endeavoured to ast as mediator and quiet Odell. Odell became enraged, and after some words passing between them, struck and kicked G. once or twice, who retaliated, and the first blow he struck, him him just back of the left ear, on the temporal bone, and he fell and expired instantly, without uttering a word or scarcely breathing. Some present thought Graham kicked him after he fell, but the body was examined, and no marks of violence found upon it. On Tuesday a coroner's inquest was held upon the body, whose verdict was that "he came to his death by a blow from John Graham in self-defence." Graham gave himself up, and was examined before a Justice's court and bound over for trial. Odell had been in the country but a short time, and was a man of intemperate habits. The circumstances attending his death afford a sad commentary on the baneful effects of ardent spirits. How awful the reflection, and it is one which should sink deep into the breast of every individual who is a slave to intemperance, that through its influence a fellow being is hurled into eternity without one moment's warning, and almost at the instant of insulting the majesty of Heaven, by turning to ridicule the most sacred of devotional exercises; an act at which he himself would have revolted in a sober moment. But for his intemperate habits, he might have been a blessing to his friends and the comunity. Village Chronicle. Ithaca Journal; November 24, 1830. From the Elmira Republican. The Suspected Murder. - A short time ago we gave an account of human bones being discovered in a hollow trunk of a tree near Johnson's settlement; and that a jury of inquest was called who had not (publicly) reported. The verdict was to the effect that the bones were those of Calvin Adams, believed to have been murdered by Moses Hall. By virtue of the Coroner's warrant, he was arrested on Friday, last week, in Charleston, Tioga Co., Pa., by Deputy Sheriff Tuthill, and brought on Sunday last, to this village and lodged in jail, together with his son, Rice Hall, arrested at Adison, Steuben Co. by virtue of a justice's warrant. The examination of Rice Hall was commenced on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday before Justice Wisner, when the prisoner was remanded to jail to wait the attendance of other witnesses. An examination of Moses R. Hall took place Wednesday before the Coroner, Mr. Saxton, when he also was remanded to prison for want of the testimony of witnesses from Pennsylvania, formerly residents in the neighborhood of the supposed murder. The examination will be renewed next week. Calvin Adams, it appears, was, about nine years ago, boarding at the house of Moses R. Hall and going to school. His sudden disappearance and some other suspicious circumstances produced quite an excitement at the time. Soon after, Mr. Hall left the place, and the affair, in a great measure, had died away. The concurrent testimony of physicians is positive that the bones are human. As to the guilt or innocence of the prisoners we can give, at present, no opinion; but we shall keep our readers apprised of the facts of the case as they may be developed. Various stories are told about Adams' going away, where he came from, and whither he went. If he is alive or has been heard of or seen since his disappearance, the fact would end the matter so far as relates to him. But how human bones should get into a stub, 14 or fifteen feet high, and whose they are, would still be questions of serious inquiry. Adams was about 19 years of age, and, of course mus now be about 28. The pedlar of whom we spoke, is another man, whom rumor had identified with Adams, and about whom some surmises existed, that all was not right. Jamestown Journal, October 7, 1835 Ira Apples, of Greenwood, Steuben co., has been tried and convicted of the murder of his father-in-law, John F. Erskin, in September last, and sentinced to be hanged on the 1st day of December next. New-York Spectator, November 24, 1836.	A gang of coiners have been detected in Steuben Co. About 4 weeks ago a man named Hoyt was arrested in the town of Wayne for stealing a yoke of oxen. In order to escape punshment, he gave the officers information of the whereabouts of extensive bogus manufacturers in Steuben Co. Sheriff Potter and constable Van Dusen started in pursuit, and 8 or 9 have already been arrested, among them are Mr. Burge and his 3 sons, living on the Bath road leading from Wayne Hotel. Dies and implements for carrying on the coining business upon quite an extensive scale were found in his barn. According to Hoyt's statement, they had made in three days false coin to the amount of $900. Henry Thompson, of Tyrone, and a lawyer named Lefforts, of Havana, are also among the arrested, and they have all been committed for trial, together with 2 or 3 others. The gang is represented to be very numerous, and warrants are issued and the officers are on the look out for the remainder. - The coin they issued were Spanish milled and American half dollars. - Penn Yan (N.Y.) Democrat. The Pittsfield Sun (Pittsfield, MA) September 1, 1842; page 1. From the Steuben Courier. Most Horrible Cruelty and Probable Murder. A widow lady, of the name of Henry, is now confined in the jail of this county, charged in substance with the murder of an orphan girl of 6 or 7 years of age who had been placed under her guardianship. The accused resided in the town of Hornby. The child came to its death the 11th of last January. Nothing was known of the sickness of the girl by the neighbors until the day of her death. The assistants in putting on the shroud, discovered that the hands were bandaged. Soon after the funeral some remarks dropped from Mrs. H. or some member of her family, which excited suspicion, which on enquiries being made from time to time increased to such an extent that she was arrested on the 11th inst., and underwent an examination, in which no positive proof of her guilt was elicited. She was discharged, but circumstances were so strong against her, that the body was disinterred, a coroner's inquest held, which resulted in a verdict, that the child came to its death by violence and ill-treatment. On removing the bandages from the hands, all the fingers and one of the thumbs were ready to drop off, one of the middle fingers was missing. This the accused acknowledged dropped off before the child died. Each finger and thumb were done up seperately with a bandage and splint. This condition of the hands is said to have been caused by freezing, it being in proof that the child had been tied up and left in an open shop or room in extreme cold weather. A bruise was found on the forehead, and sores, wounds and bruises were discovered on various parts of the body, some appearing to have been caused by burns or scalds, others by whips and heavy instruments used in unmercifully beating the child. Some of the wounds are nearly healed, others were ulcerated, and others appeared to have been of a recent date. All these wounds were dressed with cloths, and smeared with grease or ointment. From the appearance of the stomach and bowels, no nourishment had been received by the child for several days previous to its death. There can be but little doubt that the child was murdered by inches, commenced by most cruel and brutal punishment, and wickedly consumated by beating and starvation to avoid the detection of that brutality which must sooner or later have been exposed, had the child lived. Steuben Courier, April 9, 1844. Sad Affair. An affray took place in South Dansville, in this county, on Monday, the 4th inst., between Mr. David J. Petrie and Mr. John Burgher, which resulted in the death of the former. In the course of the affray, Burgher threw a stone at Petrie, which struck him on the head and so fractured his skull that he died the next morning. Means, we understand have been taken, to bring the offender to justice. [Bath (Steuben) Courier.] Roundout Freeman (NY) Aug 30, 1845. MURDER AT HAMMONDSPORT, STEUBEN CO. - On Monday last a negro by the name of Pease, got into a quarrel with another, known in that region as "black Nero," and mutilated one side of his head with an axe. He struck him some three or four blows with the edge of the axe, cutting entirely through the skull, and removing small pieces. Notwithstanding the injuries, however, the negro survived some three or four days. The murderer was arrested and committed. New-York Spectator, April 25, 1846 Sentence of a Murderer. - Nero Grant, who was recently convicted of murder, in Steuben county, was brought into court on Wednesday and sentenced by Judge Bronson to be executed on the 26th of June next. The Sun, May 22, 1847. From the Bath (Steuben County) Courier.      A murder was committed at Corning, on the evening of the 30th ult, under the following circumstances:      Bernard Madden, an ? and a wagon maker, had been riding with two girls, named Davis, sister of the deceased, and had been, as we learn, unpleasantly annoyed by the pursuit of a rival. Returning in the evening he left the girls at the residence of their father, near the Corning bridge, passed on to the village, and after putting out his horse returned, and knocked for admission at the house of Mr. Davis. Admission was at first refused him, but a little girl, scare ten years old, remarked that she knew who it was, and opened the door, when Madden discharged a pistol at her, which caused her death in a few hours. Madden, discovering what he had done, remarked that he did not intend to kill the little girl; but whether he was enraged because admission was refused him, and fired without intending to kill any one in particular, or intended to kill his rival, who was then in the house, is a matter of some doubt. He attempted to escape from the grasp of justice, and proceeded to Elmira, with the intention of taking the cars east, but he was overtaken and arrested by an officer, and is now in jail, in this place, awaiting his trial. New-York Spectator (New York City, NY) Thursday, January 17, 1850; pg. 3.	James H. Hotchkin, of Prattsburg, Steuben Co., bought a ticket on the Erie Railroad at ML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />New York for Rochester. It was marked “Good for six days only.” After the expiration of  “six days,” Mr. H. presented the Ticket between Bath and Rochester. It was refused, and he was ejected from the cars. He commenced a suit which was recently tried before References designated by the Supreme Court, and they have awarded the plaintiff $150 damages. Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA) May 26, 1859; pg. 2. The trial of Eugene Hendricks, at Corning, N.Y., on Saturday, for the murder of his brother-in-law, W. H. Dildine, at Troupsburg, Steuben county, last June, was concluded. The defence of insanity was set up, and Hendricks was acquitted. Pomeroy's Democrat (New York, NY) Saturday, Nov. 27, 1875. Crane Slew Another Man's Wife      BATH, N.Y., Oct. 23 - The trial of Emmett Crane for the murder of Mrs. Jane Perry last Decoration day in Addison, was begun. Gaylor Perry, husband of the murdered woman, testified that he and his wife met Crane at a revival meeting two years ago and invited him to their house. He boarded with them for several weeks, but matters did not run smoothly and Crane was told to leave. Lizzie Perry, a daughter, testified that on Decoration day Crane came to the house and called her mother out. He asked her if she would go away with him. She said she would not, and Crane drew a revolver and fired. Other witnesses testified that Crane had said he loved Mrs. Perry; that he wished he was dead or had never seen her, and that he had acted strangely at times. It is supposed the defense will be insanity. Trenton Evening News (Trenton, NJ) October 23, 1890; page 2. CONLEY LEFT DEBTS OF $100,000. An Attorney of Cohocton, N.Y., Whose Departure is Generally Mourned. CORNING, N.Y., Jan. 8 - Frank M. Conley, a leading member of the Steuben County bar and a leading citizen of Cohocton, has disappeared. It is believed he has betrayed judiciary trusts and the confidence of friends and left debts of $100,000. Conley has been in the habit for years of spending three or four days of each week in Rochester and Buffalo, where he was believed to have important business interests, which required his close personal attention. He did not return home as usual week before last, and nothing has been heard of him since. Conley's disappearance followed closely on the coming to Cohocton of Mrs. Rosenkrans, of Albany, Ill., formerly of Cohocton, who is guardian of the heirs of the Rosenkrans estate, of which Conley is the executor. Mrs. Rosenkrans for years had been endeavoring to get a settlement with Conley, who successfully put her off with various pleas until she came to Cohocton to force a settlement with him. The amount due the heirs from Conley as executor and trestee is between $8,000 and $10,000. Chicago Herald (Chicago, IL) Jan 9, 1891 PROBABLY SKIPPED OUT. An Executor of a $55,000 Estate Mysteriously Absent.      Bath, N.Y., March 31. - W. W. Allen, who until a couple of weeks ago was cashier of the First National bank here, failed to appear on a court order relating to the Lock estate of $55,000, of which he was executor, and of which but $5,000 can be found by the heirs. Allen has not been seen here in several days and circumstances indicate that he has left the country. Trenton Evening Times (Trenton, NJ) March 31, 1896; page 4. DOUBLE MURDER AT ELMIRA, N.Y. Elmira, N.Y., Dec. 24 - A special dispatch to the Advertiser, from Rathbone, Steuben county, N.Y., says that at 10:30 to-night, William Harrington was shot and instantly killed and Wm. Allen mortally wounded by Floyd Myers. Both of the men had been drinking and the victim of the shooting accused Myers of stealing a wagon robe, and drove to his house and demanded it, when he walked out of the house and opened fire on them with a shotgun. Allen fell from the wagon while the horse ran away with the body of Harrington, which remained in the wagon. Myers is a bad character, having once shot a man at Addison. He is at large at midnight, but the sheriff's officers expect to catch him before daylight. Daily Charlotte Observer; December 25, 1896.